Clothesline tensioning and positioning device



Sept-11, 1951 D. E. BELICH CLOTHESLINE TENsIoNING AND PosIToNIvNG DEVICE Filed April 29, l1946 Patented Sept. 11, 1951 CLOTHESLINE TENSIONING AND POSITIONING DEVICE Daniel E. Belich, West Allis, Wis.

Application April 29, 1946, Serial No. 665,810

7 Claims.

y l My invention relates to improvements in clothes line tensioning and positioning devices `for use between xed points of support.

expensive combination tensioning device and prop; to provide such devices with either hand 'operated or foot operated tensioning and locking means; to provide means whereby a clothes line may be elevated above the normal height of the prop and above the xed end connections of the line by operation of the tensioning means,

whereby suicient downward pressure may be applied tc the prop to prevent it from swaying materially; to provide resilient means for projecting a line engaging hook above the prop preparatory to a line tensioning operation; and, in general, 'to provide improved means operative between iixed supports to which a clothes line is attached for handily and quickly positioning the line at a desired elevation under a proper tension for supporting wet clothing in windy weather.

In the drawings:

Figure l is an elevational sectional view of a combined clothes line prop and tensioning device embodying my invention, with dotted lines illustrating the tensioning means in extended position.

Figure 2 is a sectional view of the upper end portion vof the device shown in Figure l, taken AIVat right angles to that of Figure 1. 'Figure 3 is a View similar to Figure l, showing amodiiied form of construction. Y Figure 4 is a sectional view of a device embodying my invention when adapted for use independently of a clothes line prop.

Figure 5 is a sectional view of the same tai-:en at right angles to Figure 4.

Like parts are identified by the same reference characters throughout the several views.

In Figure l the lower portion or prop member I0 of the prop is preferably of circular cross section and has a metal base piece II. The prop Avportion I0 may comprise metal tubing, bamboo,

2 1 or any other suitable material of the vdesired strength and minimum weight. At least its upper end portion is hollow or tubular in form and provided with an aperture I2 and, above the aperture, with one or more slots I4. In the constructionshown there are two of these slots, and they are diametrically opposite, for reasons hereinafter explained. I

The Aportion of prop I0, about the aperture I2, is encased by a jacket or housing I5, prei.- erably of metal, and having a portion I6 which houses a ratchet wheel I'I and a winding drum or spool I8. The ratchet wheel and spool are mounted on a shaft I9 journaled in the walls of the housing and which has an exterior crank 20. A pawl 2I extends through an aperture in the housing to which it is pivoted at IE. This pawl has an exterior operating handle 22.

The upper portion of the prop member IIJ'is provided with a sliding sleeve-like jacket .30 which normally covers the slots I!! and is provided above the member IIJ with upwardly and laterally extending parallel walls 32. The upper margins of the walls 32 preferably each have an arcuate central depression or notch 33 on each side of which the walls areV connected by shafts 34 which carry pulleys 35. When these pulleys are applied to a clothes line A, as indicated by full lines in Figure l, the line may be tensioned by the means ncw to be described.

Between pulleys 35 there is a line engaging hook 36, the shank of which is secured to a cap 3l' which has the form of an inverted cup encasing the upper end of member III. Within this cap, and secured to its top wall, there is a U-shaped bracket 38 which carries a pulley 39.

The sliding sleeve 3D has a cross pin 42 near its lower end which extends through the slots Ill, and this cross pin is connected with the winding drum or spool I8 by a flexible connection such as the cord 43, which extends upwardly over the pulley 39 and thence downwardly about a roller 44 on another cross pin 45, and thence to the winding spool I8, to which it is secured for winding purposes.

lOperation of the crank I2 in one direction will wind the cord 43 upon the spool I8, thus causing the other end of the cord to lift the cross pin I2 and sliding jacket 30, thus raising the pulleys 35 above the hook 3G to or toward the dotted line position. y

In operation, the hook 36 will rst be engaged with a clothes line A to be tensioned and the prop will be manipulated to cause the clothes line aevgevo to extend over the pulleys 35, as indicated by full lines in Figure l. The line may then be tensioned by rotating the crank I2 to wind the cord |53 on the spool I8, thus causing the cord to draw the sleeve and its pulleys 35 upwardly to or toward the dotted line position. In the meantime, the prop will be in a vertical position, with its lower end resting upon the ground, and as the line is tensioned, the portion engaged by the pulleys will be lifted from its sagging position to a position above the xed ends of the line, whereby the line tension will not only prevent the line from sagging but will press the prop downwardly into forcible Contact with the ground below the line. If suicient tension is applied, the prop will thus be held in a substantially vertical position and material swaying thereof prevented when the clothing on the line is being blown by the wind. Since tensioning is accomplished by raising the pulleys above the hook 35, the portion A of the clothes line will be drawn into the` tubular sleeve 3B, and the amount of slack taken up will be twice the distance between the hook and the pulleys.

When the desired tension has been applied, the pawl 2| will lock the ratchet wheel and its associated spool I8 until the pawl is released by pressure upon its handle 22,v whereupon the tension on the line will be relieved and the jacket 3B restored to its normal position covering the slots I4 in the member l0.

If desired, the cross pin A2 may be connected. by a tension spring with another cross pin 5| to ensure a prompt return of the sleeve 3@ to its normal position. However, gravity may be ordinarily relied upon for this purpose.

In the embodiment of my invention shown in Figure 3, the pulleys |35 are mounted between parallel walls |32 which project upwardly from a collar-like fitting |30 applied to the upper end of a tubular prop HQ. The hook |35 has an elongated shank or rod which extends downwardly through the xed guides 56 and 51, with its lower end connected to a slide 58 from which a pedal 59 extends through a slot 5|) in the prop I I0. A coiled tension spring 52 connects the fixed guide 5l with the slide 58 and tends to hold the latter in a raised position with the hook |35 above the pulleys |35. But downward pressure applied by the foot of the operator to the pedal 59 will depress the pedal and draw the hook i35 into the tubular prop with a portion Al of an engaged clothes line, thus tensioning the line.

In tensioning position, the rod 55 may be automatically locked by a spring actuated dog pivoted at 66 to the pedal 59. The spring Si urges the inner end of the dog into cam-like engagement with the prop at 68. But the outei` end portion 70 of the dog extends beyond the pedal 59 whereby foot pressure applied to this end of the dog will lift its inner end out of looking position and allow spring 52 to lift the hook |56 above the pulleys |35, thus relieving the tension.

When the hook |36 is in tensioning position it may, if desired, be additionally secured by a set screw '|2, threaded in the prop and the guide member 51 with its inner end in clamping engagement with the rod 55. This locking means may be utilized to prevent children, tampering with the pivoted locking dog 65, from releasing the line tension.

In Figures 4 and 5, another modification of my invention is illustrated, in which a short piece of tubing 2 le is substituted for the props shown 4 in the other views. A collar-like fitting 230 at the upper end of the tube 2|0 has upwardly extending walls 232 which carry line engaging pulleys 235 between which the hook shank 255 normally extends, The hook shank 255 has a hook 236 at its upper end and its lower end is connected with a sliding guide 258. The lower end of the tube 2|!! is capped at 2| and a tensioning rod 8U is rotatably mounted in the cap 2| with its low` er end providedwith a hand actuated crank 8| and its upper end in threaded engagement with the guide 258, as best shown in Figure 5. The hook 235 is engaged with a clothes line and drawn between the pulleys by the tensioning rod in the same manner as in Figure 3, but more slowly, and the entire assembly is left suspended on the clothes line, preferably in the vicinity of a fixed support S2 to which one end of the line is secured.

Attempts heretofore made to tension a clothes line by folding a portion of it upon itself between two proximal points of support have not been commercially successful because of excessive weight, exposure to the tensioning means, and danger of injury to the operator, and also because the tension could be readily relieved by children playing in the vicinity.

My improved tensioning means is largely concealed, easily manipulated, and whether used independently or in connection with a prop it can be made of such light weight, at small expense,

with public approval.

I claim:

l. A vclothes line tensioning device, comprising the combination with a portable prop member having a hollow upper end portion longitudinally slotted and provided with a sleeve-like jacket, a cross pin extending through said slots at the lower end of said jacket, a set of spaced line supports carried by the upper end of the jacket, a line engaging hook normally supported by said prop member in an exposed position substantially in line with the extended axis of the prop member, and manually operable means for lifting the jacket to adjust said line supports above the hook, whereby the hook engaged portion of the line may be drawn into the jacket.

2. A clothes line tensioning device comprising the combination of a portable clothes line prop member having a longitudinally slotted hollow upper end portion of circular cross section, a cap for the upper end of the prop member provided with an interior pulley and an exterior hook, a jacket mounted to slide on the upper end of the prop member and provided with a cross pin extending through the slots in the prop member, a set of clothes line engaging pulleys mounted on the upper end of the jacket, a winding spool on the prop member below the jacket, and a jacket lifting cord having its ends connected with the winding spool and cross pins, respectively, with an intermediate portion extending over said interior pulley, and means for manually rotating said spool to lift the jacket to extend the length of the prop and adjust its line engaging pulleys above the hook and draw the hook engaged portion of the line into the jacket.

3. A clothes line tensioning device comprising -a tubular prop, a line engaging hook mounted on the prop, a plurality of pulleys mounted on the prop in spaced relation for passage of the hook therebetween, and means for causing relative movement between the hook and pulleys for drawing line slack into concealed position into and holding the slack Within the prop.

d. A clothes line tensioning device comprising a tubular prop having telescopic sections, a line engaging hook mounted on the prop, a plurality of pulleys mounted on one prop section and in spaced relation for passage of the hook therebetween. and means for moving said one prop section relative to the hook for drawing line slack into concealed position into and holding the slack within the prop.

5. A clothes line prop and tightener comprising rst and second relatively extensible elements having bearing portions upon which the first element is upwardly extensible and downwardly retractable respecting the second, said second element having a ground engaging foot, three line guiding members fully exposed in the retracted relative position of said rst element to receive an unbroken line, two of said members comprising pulleys mounted in laterally spaced positions on said rst element and the other member being mounted on the second element between the pulleys in a position to hook over the unbroken line passing between the pulleys and to form a bight in such line as said rst element is extended, whereby said line may be tightened as an incident to its support by said prop, and means for xing said first element in extended position on the second.

`6. A clothes line prop and tightener comprising first and second relatively extensible elements having bearing portions upon which the `iirst element is upwardly extensible and downwardly retractable respecting the second, said second element having a ground engaging foot, three line guiding members fully exposed in the retracted relative position of said first element to receive an unbroken line, two of said members comprising pulleys mounted in laterally spaced positions on said first element and the other member being mounted on the second element between the pulleys in a position to hook over the unbroken line passing between the pulleys and to form a bight in such line as said first element is extended, whereby said line may be tightened as an incident to its support by said prop, and means for xing said first element in extended position on the second in further combination with mean-s comprising a crank and a drum, on one of said elements and a line connected with the drum and with the other v element for extending said rst element to tight- REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the ile of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 740,291 Lee Sept. 29, 1903 897,843 McC'ombe Sept. 1, 1908 1,012,454 Scott Dec. 19, 1911 1,130,033 Soldier Mar. 2, 1915 1,158,247 Lindblom Oct. 26, 1915 1,217,336 Niles Feb. 27, 1917 1,276,702 Anderson Aug. 27, 1918 1,374,609 Schell Apr. 12, 1921 2,188,937 Bertram Feb. 6, 1940 2,242,609 Hammar May 20, 1941 

